Crossroads
by Sir Perfluous
Summary: Being stoic and rational had always served Kurt Irving well as a battlefield commander, but not always in his personal relationships. After reuniting with an old colleague during a winter campaign, Kurt learns that there is a time for thinking, and a time for action.
1. Class Reunion

**Disclaimer: I do not own Valkyria Chronicles. ****Special shoutout also goes to Chidoriprime for motivating me enough to write this. Enjoy.**

* * *

A light snow sprinkled down from the gray skies above as deep winter had set in over the Principality of Gallia. The air had grown cold and the bite of winter nipped at all the soldiers who remained outside marching about and carrying on their long grueling war. As the chilly wind whistled over the ground that morning, Lt. Kurt Irving emerged from his warm tent to attend a meeting of officers. A large number of units in the Gallian Army had gathered to carry out an operation and it was starting to look rather involved.

As Kurt trudged through the snow and made his way across the campgrounds, he passed over the people of his own unit, Squad 422. The Nameless, as they were called was a penal unit in the Gallian Army and while they normally were not allowed to bivouac with the regulars, the harsh winter conditions merited an exception.

He passed the squad's tank and gave a wave to Carissa Contzen who was already busy tinkering with some of the treads and making efforts to keep the gears from freezing. Nearby, other members of the black clad unit gathered around a large fire to stay warm while Private Giulio Rosso used it to cook up some breakfast. Kurt took a deep whiff of the tempting aroma and wished he could join in with the cooking. He reminded himself his work came first and he continued on his way to the large tent that served as the battalion's temporary HQ.

As he continued to make his way onward, he was surprised when he was approached by another member of his squad. She was an attractive young woman with long reddish hair and an athletic if buxom figure to boot. Private Riela Marcellis greeted him with her trademark bright cheerful smile as she carried some assorted objects in her hands, "Good morning Kurt! You're up early, aren't you?"

"Hi Riela, I'm actually on my way to a meeting with some of the camp officers in a little bit," he said apologetically, "I'm afraid I can't stick around and chat right now."

She waved it off seemingly unphased, "Oh that's okay. I was on my way to come see you anyway and bring you this."

she presented him with a thermos and a small thermal container, "I came by Giulio's campfire early and picked up some breakfast. I thought you might want some."

"Ah... that's really sweet Riela," Kurt said in mild confusion, "I appreciate the gesture, but I'm kind of in a rush. This is an important meeting after all."

She gave him a mild frown and gently scolded him, "Lt. Irving, you may be the commander of the squad but you shouldn't push too hard and starve yourself either. If you're going to lead this squad, you have to be on top of your game and that starts with eating right."

For a moment, Kurt felt like he was getting lectured by his mother, or perhaps even a scolding wife so he opted for the quick easy route to diffuse the situation. "Right. Sorry. Why don't you leave that in my tent. As soon as I get back from my meeting, I promise I'll eat. Okay?"

Riela seemed to relent and gave a satisfied nod before heading off, "All right. I'm holding you to your word Lieutenant. Have a good meeting."

He watched her depart for a moment and simply scratched his head before hurrying on his way, "What an odd girl."

Eventually, Kurt reached his destination with time to spare. As he made his way inside the warmth of the tent, Kurt brushed off some snow from his dark hair and headed over to a large table that was being used to plan a battle strategy. The other senior officers who were already present turned and barely acknowledged Kurt save for a few quiet looks of disdain at having to be around someone from a disgraced unit like him Once upon a time, this sort of treatment would have bothered an aspiring young officer like Kurt, but he had grown used to the derision, until he got his chances to prove those people wrong. He approached the colonel at the table who was acting as the commanding officer, Kassen. He was a tall graying man in his forties with a weathered appearance and sharp features. Although he didn't seem that outwardly expressive, Col. Kassen possessed a quiet but fierce gravitas that had earned him the nickname of the Winter Wolf among his fellow Gallians. "Col. Kassen. Lt. Kurt Irving reporting as ordered."

Kassen nodded in acknowledgement, letting the officers get settled before addressing them.

He stood at the head of the table and gestured across the map of the surrounding region, "Gentlemen. As you know, we've been ordered here with a very critical assignment. Almost one week ago, the fortified city of Walencourt was attacked by Imperial forces and our small garrison there was overrun. Our orders are to launch a counterattack and seize control of the city back from the Imperials."

"What is so important about Walencourt, sir?" one of the lieutenants asked, "Couldn't we make a flank attack on the Imperial frontline in a different spot?"

Kassen folded his hands behind his back and shook his head, "Although Walencourt is not a particularly large city, it holds some strategic significance. Walencourt is located at a major crossroads and serves as a critical juncture for the movement of supplies and troops. As long as the Imperials hold that position, they will have a logistical advantage over us in this area,"

"All right. That sounds pretty straightforward," one of the captains chimed in, "Let's steamroll the Imps there and get out of the cold."

Kassen grimaced slightly as he laid down a map of Walencout, "I'm afraid it won't be as simple as you think captain."

Kurt took a moment to study the map and he noticed several layers of intricate overlapping earthworks and fortified walls that surrounded the citadel of the city. "Sir? It looks like we'll be in for a big fight. Those fortifications will not be easy to get around."

The other officers glared at Kurt but Kassen nodded solemnly, "Lt. Irving is correct. Those earthworks are designed to slow down and stymie the advance of direct infantry attacks. As the Imperials have seized them, they will have more troops to man the walls now."

"Unless we plan to bleed ourselves white, how do you propose we break through the city's defenses?" another officer asked.

Col. Kassen gave a grim smile, "For this mission, we're going to get a little creative. I've been made aware that there's a young officer whose squad specializes in unconventional warfare and he's volunteered for the operation. He's what you might call a hard charger in his approach."

From a side entrance of the tent another young man dressed in the uniform of the regular Gallian Army entered. He had fair handsome features, blue eyes, blonde hair and a brilliant smile that would likely charm the East Europan Emperor himself. he carried himself with a confident but easygoing air and he wore his uniform in a more casual less buttoned down manner. By the looks of his rank insignia, the others recognized him as a captain, but Kurt stopped and stared as he recognized the newcomer to a greater degree. It was one of his old classmates from Lanseal Academy.

"Gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to one of our rising stars, Captain Bernard Fontaine of the Army's 117th Assault Squad," Kassen said, "Their unit has trained in joint exercises with the Edinburgh Ranger Corps and their experience has yielded a string of great successes with the 117th acting as a special forces commando group."

Bernard gave a breezy smile and strode forward with a casual salute, "Colonel. Thanks for the opportunity. I'm happy to help."

He stopped and turned when he recognized Kurt standing there. He flashed another grin before offering a hand, "Kurt? Kurt Irving? Is that really you? Wow, small universe!"

Kassen looked on in amusement as Kurt shifted uncomfortably. He suddenly felt very self conscious and embarrassed given his current status as the commander of a penal unit, "You two know each other?"

"Yes sir. We were classmates at Lanseal," Kurt answered.

"He's right," Bernard exclaimed, "Kurt here was pretty amazing and graduated at the the top of our class. I'm kind of surprised to see you still wearing 2nd Lieutenant pins... and what's what's with the different uniform?"

"It's... a long story," Kurt muttered with a grimace before Col. Kassen stepped in to restore order and focus to the meeting.

He looked to the two young men and gave a nod, "It's fortunate that you two are acquaintances. I was planning on having your squads work in tandem with each other in order to affect a breakthrough."

"And by that you mean have the 422nd soak up all the enemy fire for us and prevent our units from suffering casualties?" one of the other officers scoffed in derision toward Kurt.

Kassen gave that officer and glare before looking slowly to Kurt, "I understand The Nameless have their uses and will acquit themselves as they should. The rest of us will remain here and go over some other logistics. Lt. Irving? Captain Fontaine? I leave the planning of the first stage assault in your hands. I expect a written recommendation by 0700 tomorrow morning."

The two classmates saluted, "Sir. We won't let you down."

After departing the tent, Bernard clapped Kurt on the shoulder, "How about that? It's been a while since graduation, but it looks like we'll get to fight an official battle together."

"Hmm. I can't wait," Kurt muttered before Bernard scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"Now... like I was saying. What's with that whole Nameless thing, and why the black colored getup? You look like you're masquerading around with the penal units and..."

Kurt remained silent and glanced away slightly. Bernard frowned slightly, "Wait... you're not... are you?"

Kurt took a deep breath of resignation and reluctantly led his old colleague back toward his tent. There was probably no point in trying to cover up his shame any longer. "Come on. We have a lot to talk about. I've even got food if you're hungry..."

* * *

Late the next morning, Kurt and Bernard stood together near the Nameless' tank as the penal unit gathered together for a briefing. As the squad got settled, there was random chatter and speculation among the ranks, "Why do we have to stand around in the cold right now? / Who's the new blonde guy? He's cute. / What hair-brained operation does the Lieutenant expect us to pull off this time?"

Kurt cleared his throat and called his team to order, "All right, listen up everyone! We've got a new assignment. We have orders to attack the nearby city of Walencourt and the key to it is taking a heavily fortified citadel protecting the main approach. For this operation, we're going to be working with Captain Fontaine of Squad 117 who is an old classmate of mine."

Bernard nodded and took over, "The earthworks and walls are formidable so we're going to be sneaking under the Empire's noses and doing demolition work to clear the way for a larger push. Your commander has come up with a very thorough plan to attack the target with alternating movement and covering fire from our rear line artillery."

"A thorough plan? Sounds like our leader to me," Felix Cowley commented wryly to some of his other squadmates nearby.

"We'll go over the details now..."

After laying out the plans of the initial assault that would be carried out the next day, some of the squad stuck around to greet the officer and ask some questions. Naturally, Alfons was the first to start inquiring, "So Captain, you were an old friend of Lt. Irving from school?"

"Ah... I'm not exactly sure friend is the right term," Bernard chuckled, "We certainly weren't enemies. More like rivals. Kurt here seemed a whole lot more interested in being the best officer cadet in Lanseal history and for good reason. He probably was."

"Did he get lost in thought all the time and stress out over the smallest details?" Riela teased gently as Kurt rolled his eyes.

Bernard laughed, "All the time. When we were creating our battle plan the other night, it was like things hadn't changed one bit since our Academy days. But I could never do it quite like you Lieutenant can."

"Oh? Why is that?" Imca asked curiously as she finally spoke up.

Bernard grinned proudly, "Plans are all well and good, but me? I'm a man of action! I need to be on the move! Seize opportunities! And every once in a while..."

He turned and waggled his eyebrows playfully toward Riela to make her blush, "Stop to smell the roses."

Kurt frowned slightly at the exchange and cleared his throat again to restore some order. "Speaking of smelling the roses..."

He glanced over and pointed something out on Bernard's uniform. On the captain's lapel was a large pin with a red rose flower design, "I am curious about something. Colonel Kassen said that you had volunteered for this particular assignment. Why is that?"

Bernard paused and put a hand over the lapel pin self consciously before putting on his cheerful smile again, "Me? Oh... well, I saw a great opportunity so I decided to go all in and jump on it. You can understand that, right?"

Kurt wasn't exactly sure he believed his old classmate but decided not to push any further for now. He gave a shrug, "I guess so. Sure."

"Great! So let's get set and prepare to kick those Imps in the teeth tomorrow!" Bernard exclaimed with renewed confidence before heading off to see to his own squad.

Kurt watched Bernard leave before Felix pumped a fist with a grin, "All right, I'm feeling ready for that attack tomorrow too! Captain Fontaine seems like a pretty cool guy who knows how to fire you up!"

"Yeah. If you say so."

Riela tilted her head with a curious look as she asked quietly, "What's wrong Kurt?"

Imca crossed her arms and added bluntly, "You don't seem to happy to be working with your old classmate?"

He shook his head and put on a neutral expression as he walked back off to his tent, "Never mind girls. It's probably nothing. Let's just focus here and get ready for tomorrow, okay? I have a feeling we'll have a big day ahead of us."


	2. Roadblock

The next morning, the assault on Walencourt began in earnest as the Gallian Army started to bombard the enemy with mortars and artillery fire. While the Imperial defenders in the citadel took cover and braced their defenses, the Nameless along with several other squads of assault troops advanced quickly across the icy terrain. Some of the Imperial defenders along the walls spotted the attack and began to lay down sporadic fire at the approaching Gallians.

Upon reaching their first waypoint, the troops of the 422nd and 117th ducked behind a low hill for cover that led up the first earthwork. Here and there machine gun fire sprayed the ground and kicked up chunks of ice and frozen dirt while the Gallian artillery fire continued to pound the ground beyond that. Giulio gritted his teeth as a mortar exploded nearby on the walls, "Well… so far so good, right?"

Felix grimaced as an enemy bomb exploded nearby and sprayed snow everywhere, "I still wish the terrain wasn't so uneven. We could really use our tank right now. Lieutenant?"

Kurt hastily checked his wristwatch, counting down the time to exact second before turning to his classmate, "Captain Fontaine? You know what you have to do?"

Bernard leaned behind his cover with his own troops as they carried satchels with dynamite sticks and demolition charges. He flashed a confident grin toward Kurt and gave a thumbs up, "We've got the fireworks ready."

Kurt nodded and put his assault rifle over the lip the embankment as the allied artillery began to slacken. "Imca? You're up!"

The petite Darcsen woman hauled up her trusted weapon named Var, oversized weapon combining the traits of a rifle, an anti-tank gun, and a greatsword. Despite her size, she wielded it with surprising strength and ease and took aim at several Imperial snipers posted on the rampart walls. She glanced to the commandos of the 117th and said with deathly calmness, "You might want to duck."

She pulled the trigger and the weapon erupted with a powerful scattershot of explosive rounds that blew the snipers clean off the walls. Imca gave a satisfied grin before Kurt signaled the rest of the Nameless, 'Suppressing fire!"

As the black-clad Gallians laid down a stream of covering fire, Bernard led his own troops forward before they reached the base of the ramparts. Once they were in place, the commandos swiftly began to lay down strings of explosives along certain parts of the fortifications for maximum effect. While they worked, Kurt checked his watch again and noted that time was running out before the next planned artillery barrage. He shouted to his comrade, "Captain! You have a minute-thirty to go! Hurry up!"

Bernard surveyed the work of his troops and waved them back to the embankment, "Come on! Let's move!"

No sooner had they scrambled back to safety, the Gallian guns began another barrage as Bernard hit the trigger causing the planted explosives to detonate all along the wall. There was a string of terrific blasts which shook the earth and rippled in the air as the forward ramparts burst apart and caved in. The Nameless and the 117th all gave a cheer as they watched the path open through the first line of enemy defenses. From their vantage point, it looked like the Imperial defenders had been caught by complete surprise and were scrambling in disarray.

The Gallian artillery continued to fall and explode in the icy air as Bernard surprised the Nameless by rising up and brandishing his own assault rifle. He gave a wave to his unit and urged the 422nd forward as well, "Come on! The enemy's in retreat! Let's press the attack and push forward!"

The Nameless soldiers hesitated for a moment as Kurt gave a protest and pointed to his watch, "Captain, we can't! It's not time yet. The artillery is still firing!"

This had been all part of Kurt's careful and elaborate plan to roll back the enemy in a controlled, gradual way. Although it was a little slower and steadier, his aim was to reduce casualties for the attacking Gallians and wear down the Imperials. It seemed Bernard's more aggressive, hard-charging mentality had now come to odds with that. It had been Kurt's worst fear in a situation like this.

"Lieutenant, we can't sit on our hands and let the enemy regroup! We have them on the run! We need to move now if we're going to seize that breach first!" Bernard called back.

Kurt paused another moment to consider the rate and intensity of the artillery fire and weigh that against the chances of multiple friendly fire casualties. Kurt had seen opportunities open up in battle before but he always wanted to double check and make sure he was not taking reckless chances either.

He didn't have time to think anymore, much less give orders as Bernard did it for him by pulling rank, "Let's go Nameless! On your feet! Let's go! Go! Go!"

The others got up and charged forward into the breach of the broken wall following behind the commandos in the 117th. Kurt growled at having been overruled but rose to his feet and followed the flow of battle. As he sprinted forward and burst through the breach, he found an Imperial element had reformed into a sloppy skirmish line to buy time for their comrades to retreat to the secondary fortifications. Those Imperials who remained at the skirmish line set up a forward command post and dug in putting up stubborn resistance. Kurt opened fire with his rifle and nearly went through his clip when the next wave of Gallian shells came through. Both sides dove for the ground as the mortars exploded around them and kicked up more snow and smoke.

A few soldiers in the assault group were caught in the edge of the blast and gave cries as they were thrown sideways and hurt by debris. Still, Bernard pushed forward with the charge, urging the Gallians on. The Imperials were so taken aback by the continued assault that they began to panic and fire wildly as their line disintegrated. As Kurt reloaded on the move, he gasped as he saw Felix take a hit in the thigh and fall to the snow. Kurt moved to assist and called Riela to join him, only to see her get hit in the shoulder by a shot and fall over into the snow. Kurt could only give a furious shout and rush to her side to help as the rest of the attack overwhelmed the last of the Imperial defenders nearby.

Riela winced in pain and clutched at her shoulder as one of her other other comrades Annika helped prop her up into a sitting position on the snow. Kurt grimaced and pulled out some bandages from his first aid pouch and began using them to staunch the bleeding. "Hang on Riela, you're going to be okay. I promise."

He looked up and shouted, "Medic! Over here quick! We have wounded!"

Riela shifted again and grunted from the pain of her wound before giving an apologetic look, "Sorry I got hit Kurt. I'm slowing you down today."

She looked ahead to where the rest of the squad along with several other commandos of the 117th were celebrating a victory over the captured Imperial position. Kurt narrowed his eyes toward Bernard who was at the center of the celebration leading the others in another cheer. As the squad medic Clarissa Callaghan came to tend to Riela and Felix, Kurt gave her a softer look and got up to leave, "It's okay. Don't apologize. Clarissa will take care of you right now."

He walked off several paces to survey the area and he saw that the Gallians had made a significant gain today. The fighting had died down and both sides settled in to rest and regroup. Gallian reserve units would surely come in later to reinforce the position allowing Kurt and his people some time to recover. Right now though, that was not Kurt's main concern. He stopped and turned when he saw Bernard leave the celebration to come over and talk to him. The captain wore a bright smile and extended a congratulatory hand, "Hey! Congratulations! What did I say Kurt! We did great together. Everything worked out fantastic here."

Kurt met his old colleague with an icy scowl, "No. It didn't. You disregarded the plan and got some of my soldiers hurt."

"Kurt, I'm sorry about that but we had a chance to strike and it paid off big!" Bernard protested in surprise, "You know as well as I do that this is war. Sometimes people get hurt or killed and we have to take necessary risks."

"Except in this case we didn't have to," Kurt answered heatedly, "No one had to get hurt and now we have a number of wounded!"

"Kurt, come on. I didn't think…"

"That's just it Bernard! You didn't think. You never did!" Kurt fumed, "You were always so hell bent on charging in, guns blazing that you didn't consider the cost."

Bernard frowned took up an edge in his voice, "That's not fair Kurt. You don't think I consider that either? You don't think that delayed action and prolonging things has its own costs? If I can win a battle and end the war quicker, then we still save lives."

"You shouldn't have been so unilateral and dragged my squad into your fight too," Kurt argued.

"I'm sorry if you're upset about that Kurt, but that is not my fault," Bernard countered, "You may have been top dog at Lanseal, but I have a job to do here and you'll remember there's a chain of command here."

Kurt bristled, "Really? You're going to pull rank on me here? Like this?"

"We're not going to have this argument here," Bernard replied sternly, "If you want, we can discuss this later. Best you see to your troops Lieutenant."

Bernard turned and headed back toward his own unit with a much darker expression on his face while Kurt stood taking a few breaths to calm down. From nearby, a few of the Nameless had caught the tail end of the heated exchange before Alfons came over hesitantly and prompted him, "Sir? What are your orders?"

Kurt took a breath and turned to leave the field, "Radio the artillery gunners. Tell them to halt the bombardment and send up a fresh infantry company to hold this spot. Let's get our wounded clear and regroup back in the rear lines."

By the looks of the current situation, it seemed like it was going to be a long rest of the day.

* * *

As the day passed and evening set in over Walencourt, both sides settled in for a pause in the fighting, using it as an opportunity to regroup, tend to wounded, or dig in their positions. From the outskirts of Walencourt, a small column of Imperial soldiers made its way to reinforce the frontline around the city. They had been called in when they heard the Gallians were massing their forces to make a push and although the Gallians had gained some ground today, it was far from one hundred percent secured either. It just so happened that this particular unit of the Imperial Army could prove to dismantle all that progress. The mysterious and intimidating soldiers were clad in black armor and hoods which were draped over the skull-like masks that they wore. This highly trained and highly disciplined unit known as the Calamity Ravens were feared for their deadliness and efficiency in battle, acting as a sort of special forces group of their own. In every respect, their menacing reputation had been earned. What the rest of the Empire did not know, was that this unit was in fact one composed of Darcsens.

Amid the falling snow and the fading light which hung over the horizon, the black clad Calamity Ravens stood out in the white snow, but they would gain some added camouflage once the darkness of night finally set in. At the head of their column, was a group of medium tanks painted in the colors and emblems of the Calamity Ravens. Leading the way, two men sat perched from the turret of their tanks getting a view of the approaching battleground. They both wore dark military uniforms and the first had some ornamentation signifying his position as a commander while the other younger one looked more like a warrior. They watched calmly as the tanks churned forward. The commander of the Ravens, the man called Dahau lowered his binoculars and wrinkled his features, "This should prove to be an interesting fight."

"Walencourt is a very strategic location," his comrade Zig agreed coolly, "I can see why the Gallians want to retake it so badly. If the initial reports are true, then it looks like our forces will already be on the defensive there."

Dahau remained untroubled by the news, "If that's the case, then I don't mind a little challenge. The fortifications and rough terrain may give the Gallian regulars an almost even playing field with us."

Zig glanced over curiously, "Perhaps. And what if that other group of Gallian soldiers show up? Those Nameless people who wear black like us? They tend to have a bad habit of running into us."

Dahau simply smiled, "If they do, I welcome another chance to match wits with them. Surely they'd be able to put up an even better fight this time."


	3. Understanding Hearts

The next day, Kurt sat in his tent getting dressed and making himself presentable before heading outside. After the major success of yesterday, he and his squad had been allowed to rest back at the main Gallian base camp while some fresh reinforcements were sent in to continue the attack. From what Kurt had heard, it looked the like the Imperials were giving more ground and almost forced back to the walls of the citadel. He would have to go and make sure his squad was ready and equipped to move out again when they were called to replace the troops back on the battle line. Before he could leave, he was surprised when Imca came and entered the tent hauling her large weapon with her.

"Oh... good. You're still here."

"Imca? What are you doing here?" Kurt asked in surprise.

She shrugged, "I heard about your blow-up with Captain Fontaine yesterday so I thought I'd see if you were okay. You haven't been court-martialed again so that's a good sign."

She walked over and sat down in a folding chair and began to clean her weapon. Kurt crossed his arms in mild sarcasm, "Please. Have a seat and make yourself at home."

"You're still angry," she noted absently while she cleaned and disregarded his comment.

"After what happened, I think I'm allowed," he said.

"You're sure it's not something more?" she asked.

Kurt frowned, "What makes you say that?"

Imca shrugged again, "Knowing you, I just got the sense of it."

A short silence filled the tent as Imca continued to clean her weapon. After another long moment, Kurt finally sighed, "You're not going until I talk, are you?"

"Nope."

"Fine. I'm upset because Bernard has always been a loose cannon. As long as I've known him, he just does what he wants. He throws careful plans out the window and then charges headlong into battle without thinking of the danger to his people. What I can't stand is that people still admire him and gravitate to him for just being recklessness and irresponsible. He thinks that just giving a big smile and turning on the charm will help him coast through any flak he gets."

"And you feel shame because you're in a penal unit? And still a 2nd Lieutenant?"

Kurt scowled and mumbled quietly, "He's not a bad guy so I can't really hate him. I just... don't approve of the way he does things."

"But his tactics work sometimes, don't they?"

"Well, yes. But..."

"But you've dealt with this already, haven't you?" Imca asked without looking up, "Captain Fontaine's not the only one who's disobeyed plans and acted on his own. If you were able to handle it before, you can do it now."

She was obviously speaking about herself and some of the past difficulty Kurt had experienced before winning her trust and reining her in a little bit more.

Kurt gave a sigh and got up slowly, "Yeah, you're probably right. I should go clear the air a little, shouldn't I?"

He began to leave the tent when he stopped and turned, "Oh... and Imca? Thanks."

She looked up and for a brief moment, Kurt almost thought he saw the slightest hint of a smile on her lip before she gave a nod and went back to cleaning her weapon.

* * *

He departed the tent and headed across camp until he came to the makeshift field hospital that had been set up. Once inside, he passed a few nurses and medics who were busy tending to other wounded soldiers until he came to the recovery area where he found his people. Both Riela and Felix were sitting up in their beds and they seemed to be in better shape, and better spirits. To his surprise, Kurt stopped when he saw Bernard sitting on a chair nearby speaking quietly to both of the Nameless soldiers. He had a kind smile and the three seemed to share a quiet laugh over something when they stopped and looked to the tent's entrance. Felix spoke up curiously, "Lieutenant? Sorry. We weren't expecting to see you so soon."

"It's okay Felix. I came by to check on you both and make sure you're doing okay. How is your leg?"

The blonde young man shrugged, "I'm okay. It wasn't a bad wound so the doctors here said I should be up and moving again soon as long as I don't push it."

"I'm glad to hear that," Kurt nodded, "Riela?"

She leaned back on her bedrest, "I'm going to be fine too. I should be discharged in a couple days too. In the meantime, your friend Captain Fontaine came to cheer us up."

Kurt looked to his old classmate and gave another quiet nod, "I didn't know you'd be here... but thank you."

"Sure," Bernard said quietly as he rose from his chair and moved for the door, "I should probably head out. Give you some time with your people."

Kurt halted him, "Actually... I was also going to go look for you later so that I could speak to you. Riela? Felix? If it's okay, I'll be back in a little while. I've got some officer business to discuss with Captain Fontaine."

His two squadmates gave waves before the two officers headed out of the medical station and into the cold. They walked a short distance until they came to the corner of a parked tank where they could talk privately. Captain Fontaine sighed, "Let me guess. Something else you needed to get off your chest from the other day?"

Kurt shook his head, "No. Listen, Bernard... I did some thinking, and I wanted to apologize for going off like that the other day."

"You do?" Bernard asked in surprise, "Then you're not still mad at me?"

"Oh I'm still a little angry about what you did. But I do see I wasn't being totally fair either," Kurt admitted.

Bernard nodded, "All right. Fair enough, I'm guessing you came to this yourself?"

"Actually... I had a little talk with one of my own troopers," Kurt admitted, "In her own odd way, she can give helpful advice."

Bernard chuckled, "Well that's a first. Back at the Academy, I don't recall you ever really confiding in others and getting them involved in your personal issues."  
Kurt wrinkled is features slightly, "I guess in my position, I've started to learn to rely on them more and place some trust in others. Maybe not completely yet... but a little."

"I can tell. Despite what I've heard of the penal units, you seem to have a good group under you."

"Oh? What makes you say that?" Kurt asked.

Bernard smiled, "I could just tell by the way Felix and Riela spoke of you. If I can be honest, I thought a little bit about what you said yesterday, and I can understand why you got upset too. I know you care about them too."

"I... yes. I do," Kurt nodded.

"Then we should try and wipe the slate clean and start over again," Bernard offered, "You know I've always been a hard charger in battle and wanting to take the initiative. I know you're the kind of guy who likes to wait and plan things to the tiniest detail. It's something I could never do."

"Then I guess it wouldn't hurt us to try and learn a little from each other," Kurt agreed. "That means we could try to agree to work together and trust each other?"

"Right. Sounds good," Bernard said.

Kurt nodded, "All right. Then I'd like you to answer something because you didn't give a straight answer a few days ago. Why did you transfer here and volunteer for this mission?"

Bernard frowned slightly and paused before reaching for the rose lapel on his coat, "There's a reason I want to fight hard to end this war as quickly and decisively as possible. I'm doing it protect someone I love. You remember Giuliana Valens? From our graduating class?"

Kurt thought for a moment before giving a nod and recalling a beautiful redheaded cadet with a fiery personality, "Yes. She was right up there with us in the class rank. You and her..."

"Are together now? Yeah..." Bernard nodded as he looked away, "I heard she might be assigned to this posting because she's an engineer. If we went about this like a normal siege, then it might involve heavy casualties."

"And you were afraid she would be one of them," Kurt surmised.

Bernard nodded, "Yes. I wanted to keep her out of the line of fire and end this battle before we'd need to pull units like hers into the fight. That's why I've been pushing so hard."

Kurt remained quiet and gave his own nod of understanding, "I see. You're just forgetting one thing."

"Oh? What's that?"

Kurt shook his head, "Maybe you'd be able to drive the Imperials back here, but you're not going to be any good to Giuliana if you did something stupid and got yourself killed either."

Bernard scoffed, "You're telling me to slow down and be more careful... like you?"

Kurt smiled quietly, "I didn't say anything. You said that yourself."

His classmate stopped and chuckled quietly, "Okay. I get it. Though this is kind of another surprise too. Who would have thought Kurt Irving would have a sense of romance and be a little sentimental."

"I don't know what you mean," Kurt answered bluntly, "I've always had more important things to worry about. Romance has never really been my thing."

Bernard gave a kind smile, "Then you might want to open your eyes a little more. It seems you might have your own redheaded girl that thinks pretty highly of you."

"Wait... you're suggesting Riela might... don't be silly Bernard."

Bernard grinned and clapped Kurt on the shoulder, "Remember what I said about taking action and throwing caution the wind sometimes? About seizing opportunities? Do me a favor and just give it a little thought... just not too much thought, okay?"

Kurt looked at his old classmate for a moment before giving a faint smile, "Yeah... okay."

Unfortunately, the moment of friendship was cut short as a female camp runner came sprinting toward them with a panicked look on her face. The young dark haired woman in ponytails panted breathlessly and stopped to give a salute before huffing out, "Captain! Lieutenant! Thank goodness I found you! We have a big problem!"

"Easy there, Private. Take a breath and tell us what's wrong?" Bernard said.

The runner caught her breath and spoke again, "Our forward units are under attack. They had been able to push the enemy all the way back to the walls of the citadel. Then the Imperials hit them with a major counterattack. It was chaos! We've never seen those guys before. Black armor... hoods... and skull masks like the Grim Reaper. They came out of nowhere. They were so fast... and they were good."

Kurt's heart skipped a few beats as his stomach flipped over backwards in dread. If he was understanding this private correctly, then that meant the Calamity Ravens were here and so was their notorious leader, Dahau. He did his best to keep his expression level, "What happened Private?"

"They routed the forward assault squads and are driving back our troops right now," she replied in dread, "They're at the second fortified line, but I don't know how long our people can even hold that position."

Bernard narrowed his expression, "Understood. Go warn HQ. I'm going to take my squad and help hold the line."

As the left, Kurt caught Bernard's arm, "Wait! Hold it! Are you really going to just rush in without a plan?"

"What choice do we have right now?" the captain protested, "You heard the private. We don't have a lot of time and if our line breaks, then everything we've done here might be for nothing. We can't let the Imperials win here."

Kurt shook his head, "Not without a strategy. Trust me, I know these guys we're up against. They're a special forces group called the Calamity Ravens and I've tangled with them several times. I know how they think and I know how to fight them."

"Are you offering to come along and help too?" Bernard asked.

Kurt gave a dark smile, "Yeah... I guess I am. But now is your turn to trust me a little. If we work together, maybe we can stop the Ravens."

"All right then Lieutenant. Brief me on the way. We've got a frontline to save."


	4. Advance and Retreat

Without wasting any time, Kurt called his troops together and brought them to the frontline along with Bernard's own squad. By now, the Gallian regulars who had been laying siege of the citadel had been scattered by the Calamity Ravens and a resulting Imperial counterattack. They had been pushed back from the second line of ramparts all the way back to the edges of the outer walls which Kurt and Bernard had seized the prior day. As the 117th took up covering positions in front of the main breach in the wall, the Nameless positioned themselves off to the flanking edges inside the walls. Instead, they took cover and camouflaged themselves in order to trick their advancing enemies. Bernard watched the enemy advance closer and radioed Kurt apprehensively, "You're really sure about this plan of yours?"

"Trust me. Dahau won't respect the regular forces. He'll assume they're all cowards and ineffective. All I need you to do is buy some time and lure the enemy into position for us."

"Retreating isn't exactly the way my unit does things... but I guess we can try things your way," Bernard grudgingly conceded as the snow continued to fall gently from above.

"All right. Here goes nothing," Bernard muttered as his unit of commandos faced down the large incoming force of Imperial soldiers and Calamity Ravens. A few Gallian stragglers retreated past the formation of the 117th as the enemy came forward like a wave. Bernard raised his rifle and pulled the trigger, "Open fire! give those Imps hell!"

A hail of intercepting fire erupted from the Gallian lines and battered the incoming Imperials. Several Imperial soldiers fell while the Calamity Ravens behind them took cover and returned fire while some of their smaller APCs churned forward. The vehicles were nimble enough to get around the earthworks and their armor was strong enough to ward off the small arms fire. From inside of the APCs, Zig watched as the Calamity Ravens formed up behind the vehicles to shild them from gunfire as they pushed forward toward the outer walls. "Dahau? What are your orders?"

From the rear line, Dahau supervised the battle and watched with his arms confidently crossed over his chest. So far, they had scattered the Gallian regulars here and the ones holding that breach didn't look to be any significant opposition either. If they could completely repel the Gallians here and break out from the walls, then they would be able to attack the enemy camp. Even more, it would force the overall enemy lines outside the city to buckle and turn inward. "Gather your force and press the attack. We're going to break their line and drive them back outside the outer walls."

Back on the line, the commandos of the 117th engaged in a fighting retreat until they were back outside the outer wall. As a few of his scouts fell back, to safety, Bernard signaled his engineers to carry out the plan he had laid out with Kurt. He could only pray that it would work. Just as the Imperial forces reached the large breach in the wall, several explosive charges were detonated causing confusion and for rubble to rain down on the surprised enemy. Chunks of the wall caved in and crushed two vehicles while the rest of the debris formed a sudden roadblock for the attackers. Now that the Imperials were momentarily trapped behind the debris field, they were caught flat footed when Kurt signaled his own squad to attack.

From behind the flanking positions behind the wall, the Nameless had set up an ambush by hiding in the trenches and other earthworks a short distance away. Even the Calamity Ravens there were thrown into a minor panic as their familiar black clad Gallian enemies came out of nowhere and attacked from both sides. Several of the Ravens were hit by gunfire from the advancing Nameless while the Gallian lancers took out two more APCs with well placed shots. In the midst of the crossfire, Zig jumped out of his armored vehicle and began firing his weapon while trying to rally his troops.

"Hold your ground! We aren't going to let these worms beat us here!"

The fire and courage of their commander seemed to lift up the spirits of the Ravens as they regrouped and began to form a tight defensive formation to halt the Nameless ambush. As they focused their aim, both sides found themselves at a stalemate as they pummeled each other with volleys of heavy fire and return fire. The Nameless were unable to push forward and the Calamity Ravens had dug in, refusing to be dislodged. From the other side of the rubble at the wall, Bernard watched as Kurt's squad stalled. Although they couldn't break the Raven's position, they were at least holding them in place. At this point, it would be decided by attrition, or whichever side ran out of ammunition first.

Bernard picked up his rifle and hurled a stick grenade over the mound of rubble where the Imperials were on the other side, "Come on Squad! Let's break that line!"

The 117th regrouped and rushed over the hill of rubble just as the grenade went off in the ranks of the Calamity Ravens and caused them to turn around. Now they were being attacked on three sides as the Gallian unit they had pushed back had returned for a renewed attack. Kurt blinked in surprise and grinned as he continued firing and watched the 117th smash into the other flank of the Calamity Ravens. He was not expecting Bernard to lead another counter-charge, but it was working. Kurt decided to follow the captain's lead and urged his own troops to rise up and press the attack. "Let's go everyone! Don't let up!"

As they rushed the Ravens and began to beat them back, Kurt felt a few enemy shots glance off his armored shoulder plates. That might leave a few bruises, but the adrenaline was carrying him now and driving the Gallians on. Amid the chaos and the gunfire flying everywhere, the Ravens fell back to join a company of reserve troops who had been pulled from the citadel to try and reinforce their comrades. Kurt saw the flow of battle moving again and that the Gallians still had some momentum left as he rejoined Bernard in the middle of the firefight. Both officers gave nods to each other as Kurt called out, "Now's our chance. Are you with me?"

Bernard gave a thumbs up before Kurt called out to some of his own squadmates giving a direct command, "Cedric! Imca! On me! Let's clear a path!"

The shocktrooper and Lancer joined their commander and pushed ahead first over the icy grounds unloading a withering barrage of fire as the 422nd and the 117th joined together and moved forward in tandem. The ferocity and unity of the two Gallian squads surprised the Imperials as Zig struggled to keep his line steady as they collided in a messy fight over the trenches.

From his ridge, Dahau watched as the Imperial line faltered and began to fall back against the spirited Gallian counterattack. He frowned slightly at the outcome before he heard his lieutenant radio him directly, "Sir! The Gallians are pushing us back again! What should we do? Should we stand and fight?"

"No Zig. Fall back and withdraw the rest of the company. We were overconfident today and underestimated the Gallians, but we wont make the same mistake again."

As the Imperials began a hasty retreat from the lines of Walencourt, Dahau gave a scoff while pulling his cloak around his shoulders to ward off the snow. Even as he walked off, he wore a small smile on his face, "Well played today Nameless. This was is far from over and we'll have many more battles left to fight. Another time perhaps."

Back in the battle line, Kurt gave a relieved cheer and lowered his rifle as he spotted the Imperial forces retreating from the field while those defenders still in the citadel began to signal a surrender. One of his squadmates Amy grabbed Kurt's arm excitedly, "I can't believe we did it sir! That was a miracle!"

Kurt smiled and patted her hand, "Yeah. I was... wasn't it?"

In a strange way, perhaps Bernard was right about some things. Maybe there was something to taking some risks and throwing caution to the winds. Granted, they had compromised a little and adopted each other's approaches but in the end it worked out. They had worked well together after all and complimented each other's talents in the field. Kurt let his squadmates cheer and celebrate their hard earned victory with those of the 117th as he stepped aside and found Bernard standing off to the side facing the citadel. He watched as white flags were raised one by one along the wall until the Imperial garrison there finally surrendered. As Kurt approached, he gave a happy smile.

"Bernard! There you are! I wanted to congratulate you. We did it!"

Captain Fontaine turned his head slightly and gave a thin smile, "Yeah, we did. Didn't we?"

"What are you doing out here? I thought you'd be with your troops celebrating?" Kurt asked curiously.

"I just wanted to make sure the job here was done completely," Bernard answered, "I have to hand it to you Kurt. I should be the one congratulating you. Your strategies were key in helping us drive off those Calamity Ravens."

Kurt shrugged, "Well... maybe. But you were also right about exploiting that weakness in the enemy line and counterattacking. That's what helped break the enemy's back today."

Bernard winced and stifled a laugh, "I suppose so. Does this mean we're okay with each other?"

"What kind of a silly question is that? Of course it does."

Bernard nodded with another grim laugh, "Good. Then I can die a happy man."

Kurt frowned and looked to his colleague, "What are you..."

He paused when he saw a large red stain forming from the side of Bernard as he stumbled forward and collapsed into the snow. It looked like Bernard had been hit in the battle and the bullet had tagged him in between the plates of his shocktrooper armor. Kurt immediately dropped to his comrade's side and suddenly noticed that Bernard's face had paled and that had been persevering through his injury just to get through the fight.

"Bernard! Hold on! I'm going to get you help!" Kurt gasped in alarm as he pressed his hands over his classmate's side to try and apply some pressure to the wound, "Medic! Anybody! Come quick!"

The other members of the squads who were nearby heard the alarmed cry and they scrambled to fetch the medic while others fumbled for their first aid kits. Kurt did likewise and pulled out a canister of ragnaid with some bandages, "Sit tight Bernard. You're going be okay."

Bernard gave a small smile as shook his head and pushed Kurt's hand away, "No Kurt. It's too late for that. We both know it."

Kurt looked down and knew it was true. The wound was too deep and the snow underneath Bernard was already turning red from the pooling blood. He decided to make his friend comfortable and administered the ragnaid anyway, if only to numb the pain. Bernard gave a grim smile, "Thanks. Seems like I owe you one more time. You're still trying to be a hero here."

"No," Kurt said shaking his head quietly, 'You don't owe me anything. This was your victory today."

"It was. The battle is over and Giuliana doesn't have to be put in danger here," Captain Fontaine said as he removed the enameled rose pin from his coat lapel and handed it off to Kurt with a bloodied glove, "Do me a favor? Make sure she gets this back?"

Kurt took it clasping his old classmate's hand around it, "I will."

"And another thing... remember what I said before about taking chances," Bernard said in a weaker voice, "Time is short. Even if there's a war, we still need to remember to live a little, to enjoy the time we have together with the people we care about."

Kurt answered quietly, "I'll tell Giuliana that."

"Don't forget to tell the people you care about most too," Bernard said before Kurt nodded in understanding.

Captain Fontaine gave a satisfied smile and lay back as his breathing relaxed and he lay still in the snow. Kurt continued to clasp his comrade's hand which held the pin, even as other squad members came rushing over with a medic in tow. Eve if it was too late, Kurt continued to kneel in the bloodstained snow and watch the scene unfold. Gallia had won a victory today, but also suffered the loss of a good officer as well. At the moment, Kurt could only wonder which road he would take next and which direction he would go from there.

* * *

**A/N:**  
**To be concluded in the next chapter.**


	5. A New Way Forward

[Epilogue]

The next day, the Gallian Army moved into the city of Walencourt following the recent Imperial retreat. After weeks of hard fighting and enduring the cold and snow, many of the Gallians, including the Nameless were all too happy to be quartered in the citadel along with some of the other abandoned houses and buildings. Despite the higher spirits of the squad, Kurt's own mood had been tempered with the loss of his classmate and fellow officer, Bernard Fontaine. Even on that morning, Kurt kept replaying his last exchange with him while holding the rose lapel pin that he had been entrusted in his pocket. He would eventually have to write Giuliana and mail her the parcel along with the bad news, but he didn't know where to start.

Despite being familiar with battlefield deaths around him in every battle, he hadn't actually had to write any bereavement letters to the family or friends of any squadmates. He hoped that it would stay that way. He figured it was probably best to just think it over a little more and let his mind settle before he'd even attempt writing such a letter. In particular, he had enough to worry about right now. He had been called to meet with Colonel Kassen at the new temporary HQ in the citadel tower. Although the details had been vague, Kurt guessed that Kassen wanted to speak with him about the actions from the battle yesterday. Whether it was to congratulate him, or to chew him out for just acting without orders, he couldn't be sure. Maybe both?

Upon arriving at the citadel, Kurt was led up the tower of the central keep by an adjutant before making his way to a large wooden door. Kurt gave a few knocks and waited before he heard Kassen bid him enter and the adjutant closed the door behind him. Kurt entered the simple spacious room and found Col. Kassen sitting behind a desk with paperwork. He was likely filling out reports and issuing other dispatches to the officers. A fireplace had been lit in a corner and it crackled with warm fire giving off a warm glow and the comforting smell of pine wood. Kassen looked up when Kurt entered and waved him over, "Lieutenant Irving. Come in. I have some things to discuss with you."

Kurt stopped and saluted but Kassen waved it off and walked over to a chest where he procured a liquor bottle, "At ease Lieutenant. Would you care for one too?"

Kurt shook his head as Kassen poured a little in a glass for himself, "No thank you sir. I'm fine."

Kassen paced toward the window and took a thoughtful sip of his glass, "I suppose I should be toasting you for the breakthrough yesterday. You were one of the squads that took initiative and prevented a total rout of our center."

"I acted and deployed my squad without notifying HQ," Kurt said solemnly, "I should have done things the right way and followed the chain of command."

"I think we can make an exception this time and overlook that detail," Kassen said with a small wolfish smile, "Had you done so, we might not be here in Walencourt enjoying the warmth of housing here."

Kurt nodded, "So you're not going to discipline me?"

"No," Kassen sighed as he shook his head, "As much as I hate to admit it, you'll be punished in another way. By our military code of justice, I cannot give you any credit or awards for the victory yesterday."

"That's okay sir. I'm happy if Captain Fontaine is to be credited for the action," Kurt said with a subdued expression.

Kassen nodded, "Yes. About that... it's unfortunate he was killed in the battle. I'm sure that wasn't easy for you?"

"No sir," Kurt admitted, "But I'll deal with it. I'm sure Bernard would not have wanted me to dwell on it too much. He'd want us to keep moving forward and attacking."

Kassen chuckled, "Yes. I suppose you're right. Now that the fighting here has slowed down here, you will be moving on. I plan to send a report of your actions to your superior Colonel Crowe. Once I hear back from him, I'll give you your next orders. Until then, it's best that you rest and recover."

"Thank you sir."

"How are your troops Lieutenant?" Kassen asked.

Kurt remained stoic, "Tired, sir. I have a few who were injured, but they should be on the mend soon. Otherwise, their morale is good."

"And yours?"

Kurt thought it over for a moment, "I... have been worse."

"I understand," Kassen nodded as he walked back over to sit behind his desk and get back to work, "In the mean time, see to your people and your personal affairs here. It will do you good son. Trust me."

Kurt blinked in confusion before giving a nod and saluting, "Yes Colonel. Thank you, sir."

Once Kurt exited and left the citadel grounds, he stood on the snowy front lawn wondering what he would do next. He touched his breast pocket where he had tucked away Bernard's pin and decided he would make a little visit to Walencourt's hospital where the wounded soldiers were now being treated. As he made his way over there, he decided he would take a little detour toward his squad's housing building. He hoped it could find Giulio and see if he had prepared anything good to eat.

* * *

Some time later that day, Riela Marcellis sat in her bed within the hospital paging through a book with her good arm. The doctors had been surprised she had begun to heal remarkably quickly, but they insisted that she stay just one more day before being let back to her squad... something about making sure there would be no infections from her shoulder wound. As she continued to relax, she heard a knock at the door and turned to see Kurt enter. She looked up and gave a surprised smile at his appearance. "Kurt? Hi. What are you doing here?"

"Hey Riela... I uh, just came to visit and look in on you," Kurt said sheepishly, "I also brought you something."

He produced a thermos and sealed container, "I might have stopped to see Giulio on the way and have him whip up something good to eat. He made you some soup and some herb chicken."

"Oh? This is a surprise... and very sweet of you," she said as he came over to sit down at her bedside, "Thank you."

Kurt nodded, "I'm afraid I didn't get a chance to visit the other day when things came up..."

"I heard about the battle," Riela said a little more solemnly, "And about Captain Fontaine. Kurt... I'm sorry about your friend."

He gave a faint wistful smile and nodded quietly, "Thanks. Me too. But I guess there is one good thing that came out of all of it."

"Oh?"

"Bernard helped put some things into perspective for me and he gave me a lot of things to think about."

Riela raised an eyebrow curiously, "Really? Like what?"

"Well... for one thing, not forgetting about some of the things that matter in this war," he said pensively, "As for the rest... maybe I'll tell you one day."

Riela nodded and reached over to give his hand a squeeze, "Well, in the mean time if there's anything else you need to talk about you can always tell me."

"I will," Kurt said handing her the lunch he brought, "I didn't have anything else planned for today so I thought we could start by just sitting and talking for a while."

Riela looked to him and gave a quiet smile as they settled in, "Thanks. I'd like that."

Fin


End file.
